Australia 5 Bangladesh 0: Socceroos surge to emphatic win

Four first-half goals helped Ange Postecoglou's Australia side to an emphatic 5-0 win in their second game of World Cup qualifying

Published

3 September 2015

Australia made short work of minnows Bangladesh in AFC World Cup qualifying as they cruised to a 5-0 win in Perth.

Having only beaten Kyrgyzstan 2-1 in their opening qualifier, Ange Postecoglou will have been keen for his players to put aside a pay row with Football Federation Australia and earn a more convincing triumph against a side ranked 173 in the world.

And the Socceroos duly delivered at nib Stadium, scoring two goals inside the first eight minutes through forward Mathew Leckie and midfielder Tom Rogic, who then had an effort deflected in by Bangladesh's Topu Barman.

Nathan Burns made it 4-0 before the half-hour mark with his first international goal, and the rout was completed by a fine long-range goal from Aaron Mooy in the 61st minute.

The result sends Australia to the top of Group B on six points ahead of Jordan's clash with Kyrgyzstan later on Thursday.

The gap in quality was evident from the start and Australia were quickly in complete command thanks to Leckie and Rogic.

Leckie opened the scoring in composed fashion as he coolly slotted home Massimo Luongo's pull back, and Bangladesh were given a mountain to climb moments later by Rogic.

Rogic met a lay-off from Tarek Elrich with a powerful low drive that left Mohammad Shahidul Alam with no chance.

Leckie then headed over from close range before Luongo spurned a chance to net a wonderful third, firing wide after waltzing through the Bangladesh defence.

The third did arrive in the 20th minute when Jason Davidson broke down the left and delivered a low delivery for Rogic to turn home with the assistance of the unfortunate Barman.

Nine minutes later Burns opened his account for his country by converting on the rebound after a Leckie header had been brilliantly kept out by Alam.

Leckie was denied again by the busy Alam, and Australia were kept at bay in the early stages of the second half as the Bangladesh backline stiffened.

Indeed, it took a moment of magic from Mooy to bring about the fifth goal as the midfielder hit home with a swerving effort from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Christopher Oikonomidis headed against the top of the crossbar soon after, Tim Cahill was thwarted by Alam and Jackson Irvine hit the woodwork as Bangladesh avoided any further embarrassment.